The Price of Hesitation
by Desnai
Summary: Tragic oneshot courtesy of a Fallout kink prompt - kink-free .  F!Courier spends her final moments with Boone.
1. Chapter 1

_First time dabbling in tragedy. Reviews/criticism welcome. Courtesy of a fallout kink prompt._

_As always, characters, locations, etc. are property of Fallout and respective owners.  
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_Just take the shot._ She repeated the mantra over and over in her mind. At some point, there was a name appended to it. It was lost, like so many things, over the past days? Weeks? Months? She no longer knew. She had long since lost feeling of her twisted limbs. All she had left was thirst. It was the only thing that reminded her she was still alive.

_The shot. _ She was drifting now. Beyond mere weakness. Maybe the bullet wasn't necessary. Was there supposed to be a bullet? She tried to grasp that idea, tried to figure out why she kept fixating on it. She clung to it, despite the deep blackness she felt coming to swallow her again.

As soon as he limped up to the cross, any thought of his own pain from the multiple bullet wounds in his leg fled. _Fuck._ _How could she be so stupid?_ Boone clung to the anger. A familiar emotion. If he focused, it almost made the panic he was feeling bearable.

_We were supposed to work in pairs_. When she told him to hang back as they approached Cottonwood Cove, he never in a million years would have imagined it would end like this. They had done this countless times since he had joined her months ago. She had never failed to come back. _Never failed_. _She's invincible_.

Boone forced himself to swallow the panic again. Arcade was just a signal away. They all had come when he sent word that she had been captured. A forced march – sleep was out of the question – and they were ready for an assault on Cottonwood Cove. Up close, the moon lit up enough of her body that he knew the signal would be unnecessary.

Aside from the sound of distant gunfire and explosions from the group's diversionary tactics, the night was peaceful. From the makeshift sniper's nest they had been camping at, it would have been a beautiful sight. He had been counting on it. After they had revisited Bitter Springs, he couldn't help but see her in a new light. They had been through so much together. She knew the dark corners of his soul. Embraced them even.

Three days in the tents and two on the cross. His rage flared again. He shouldn't have waited for the others. If he had just attacked the tents as soon as he had figured out they had her... _I should be up there. Not you._

Boone clambered up the rock outcrop next to get closer. He knew the second he tried to get her down, she would die. They had both seen it countless times. Grabbing a stimpak from his belt, he injected it into her neck, not knowing what he was hoping for. He held the canteen to her lips as soon as he noticed her eyes flutter.

"I was so certain we could save you." So certain. He had no choice with Carla. He couldn't take on a party of Legionnaires himself. This was supposed to be different. _She's invincible._ How many times did they get out of impossible situations, just barely making it out alive? She managed to open her left eye to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry I didn't take the shot."

She could barely make out his face. Her vision was swimming. The clarity of thought was refreshing, but she could feel it ebbing already. There was nothing for the stimpak to work with – her body was far too broken.

"Don't let the others see me like this." She whispered haltingly. Her throat was fire. She didn't think any water had made it past the swelling in her throat.

Boone nodded. Unable to speak – knowing the second he opened his mouth, it wouldn't be words coming out.

Already, she could feel her thoughts drifting off, slipping through her fingers as she tried to pull them together.

"Love you." Her voice was faint, but the two words were unmistakable.

There were so many things Boone wanted to tell her. So many opportunities he had passed up, waiting for the right moment. Boone leaned forward and did what he had been dreaming of doing since their talk at Bitter Springs, hoping that it would tell her all the things he could not.

She forgot pain for a moment, feeling Boone's lips brush up against hers. It was sweet, and light against her raw lips. She savored the kiss for a moment that seemed like eternity, and she did the only thing she could do - let go.


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, I don't know why I'm doing this. I have to apologize for the disjointed timeline, as this takes place prior to the Courier's capture, and I didn't want to ruin the delivery of the other piece. Curse you exposition!_

_Hope this doesn't ruin a short, sad story but I just had to get this bit out of my head. I almost feel like I'm twisting the dagger in poor Boone's chest. So, uhh… feel free to disregard this bit if you think the first chapter was poignant enough. _

_As always, any and all thoughts/reviews/critiques are welcome._

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The sniper's nest was just the way he remembered it when they first stumbled across it. Even the blind was still intact. Boone let out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. The traps the Courier had laid down upon their departure were intact, which meant the Legion hadn't discovered the place.

"Satisfied?" He could tell she was trying to make her tone neutral, but he could hear the amusement that was conspicuously absent.

Months of doing this together had cemented their recon and subsequent tag team shit storm of destruction technique. This time though, he insisted that she not do her recon routine alone; the small sniper perch would be the perfect spot for a Legion ambush.

Boone grunted his assent, refusing to apologize for being cautious. _Fucking nerves are getting to me like a green fucking recruit. _

He'd felt every step from the strip like lead shot in the gut. His nerve had almost broken a couple of times on the way to Cottonwood Cove, but an admission of affection over a can of beans after hiking through the Mojave all day just didn't sit right. She needed to know he wasn't just going through the motions anymore.

_And after acting like a jackass… _Boone cringed at the memory of trying to steal a drunken kiss from her the night after Bitter Springs. "I can wait, Boone." Her hand on his chest had checked his movement before he could even get close. "When you're ready, I'll be here."

With a start, Boone realized the sun was setting already, casting rosy reflections across the water of Cottonwood Cove.

He felt the Courier step close, she was silent as always, but he could feel it. They stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, watching the sun set over the cove. Her touch was light on his shoulder. Laughter danced in her eyes as he turned to face her.

"Aah Boone… I'll make a poet of you yet. Granted, it would most likely have to be Haiku, knowing your taciturn tendencies."

"Yeah. Right. Not exactly my thing, but…" He threw her a shrug instead of finishing the sentence. Her tinkle of laughter was enough to convince him that she didn't need to know he was more preoccupied with the number of Legion tents down below than poetry.

He knew she had taken in the number of tents below as well. If it concerned her, she didn't show it. Never had. If anyone had earned the right to be cocky, it would be her, he had to admit.

She left his side, checking over her armor and the draw of her sidearm. Twilight was descending, and this was her element.

"I'm off - don't wait up. " She flashed him her signature mischievous smile over her shoulder, knowing full well that he would. "Besides," she added with a wink, "we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

Boone nodded. He would make sure of it. The Legion could wait another day, because tomorrow was going to be theirs.


End file.
